Tree felling device



Sept 30, 1952 R. P. INGRAHAM ETAL 2,612,194

' TREE FEELING nEvIcE lilved March 24, 1948 Sept. 30, 1952 R. P. 4mAmxM Em. 2,612,194

y TREE ELLING DEVICE Filed March 24, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 with parts shown in elevation taken along the lines IV-IV of Figure 1 and illustrating the mounting of the movable cutting blade; and

Figure is a cross-sectional View with parts shown in elevation similar to Figure 3, illustrating the operation of the clutch.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figure 1, the reference numeral |0 indicates a tree cutting device of the present invention and reference numeral II indicates a tree, log or similar article to be severed by the use of the device I0. As illustrated, the device I0 comprises a frame defined by parallel channel frame members I2 and I3 which are joined by xed end plates I4 and I5 at one end of the frame and by latchable hinged members I6 at the other end. Frame members I2 and I3 carry mounting anges I2a and I3a by means of which the device IIJ may be mounted on a suitable support.

As shown in lFigures 2 and 3, top and bottom plates I1 and `I8 join frame members I2 and I3.and cooperate with frame members |2 and I3 .and plates I4 and I5 to define an inner gear.

chamber I9 at one end of the device.

A second gear chamber 29 is located adjacent chamber I9 and is defined by plate 2| parallel 'tov plates I1 and I8 and joined to plate I4; plate 22 parallel to plate I4 and extending between plates 2| and I8; and channel members 23 and 24 joining plates 2| and I8.v

Bearing plates 25 and 26 are positioned within chamber I9 between the opposed plates I1 and I8. A shaft 21 is journaled in bearings 23 carried by theplates 25 and 26. A screw 29, formed on an extension of the shaft 21 extends from the bearing plate 26 through gear chamber I9 and into the area lying between the frame members I2 and I3.r The screw 29 extends into a matingsleeve 39 (Figs. 1 and 2), which is internally threaded for a part of its length, as at 29a for inter-threading engagement with said screw. Y

The sleeve 30.is secured at one-end to a blade support 3|, which carries a movable cutting blade 32 attached thereto by supporting `lugs 33 and34secured to the support 3|. tendthrough the lugs 33 and 34 and the blade 32 to .removably attach the blade to the support 3|. VThe. leading edge 32a of the bladev32 is formed as asharpened, concave cutting edge. Thel sleeve 28 is provided with triangular bracingzgwebs 36 to lend rigidity and strength to the sleeve along its entire length.

Asbest shown in Figure 2, a guiding block 31 is provided along the interior surfaces of each frame member I2 and I3. The blade supporting member 3| is supported between frame members|2 and I3 by means of a shaft 33 which vextends through the member 3| and which is supported between the frame members vI2 and I3 by bearings 39 riding on upper surfaces 40 ofthe guide blocks 31, as shown in Figure 4. The outer races 39a of bearings 39 bear against the surfaces 49 of support block 31 and the inner races 39h receive the shaft 38 as shown 4in Figure 4. Pinion gears 4I are attached to'shaft 38 by pins 42 in a position adjacent the bearings.39. Racks 43 are provided on the upper surfaces of guideblocks 31 for engagement .with the pinions 4|. The bearings 39, which are held in position on the shaft 32 by bushings 44 and pinions 4|, support the weightv of the support member 3| and blade 32.

The guide block `31 also'carries slots 45 ex Bolts ex-V Y ber.

4 tending along the length thereof and receiving projections 46 formed at either extremity of the forward cutting edge 32a of the blade 32 as shown in Figure 1. The slots 45 and projections 46 serve to guide the blade Within the frame and strengthen the blade structure during operation of the device. Stops 41 are provided at one end of :the surfaces 49 against which the'bearings 39 abut to stop the forward movement of the blade 32 at the end of a cutting cycle.

YAs may be seen in Figure 1, the parallel, spaced apart members I6 are removably secured to the farend of framev members I2 and I3 by bolts 49 and 50, respectively. Member 48 is disposed between hinged members |6 and also extends between frame members I2 and |3. The bolts 49 and 50 extend through frame members I2 and I3, parallel members I6 and member 48 to hold the hinged end assembly in position. If desired the members I5 and 48 may be secured together as by welding or may be formed as a single integral member. The member A48 carries pairs of blade supporting lugs 52 and 53 one pair near either extremity of the mem- A second cutting or backing blade 54, simiy lar indesign and size to the blade 32 and having a concave forward cutting edge 54a, is firmly v held in place between the lugs of each pair of lugs 52 and 53 by bolts 55. As shown in dotted outline in Figure 1, the members I6 and 48 may be swung about the bolt 50 by removing the, bolt 49 and pulling downwardly and outwardly on the members I6 and 48. The frame memberg|2 is cutout' as at I2b, frame member I3 is cut out as at |3b, andopposite corners of members I6 and 48 are rounded as at I6a and I6b to allow this swinging movement of members I6, 48 and the attached blade 54. The members I6 and 48 and the attached blade 54 may thus be swung out of the way so that the device I9 may be aifxed to a tree, log or similar article to be severed. A The device is placed upon the tree with the members I2 and I3 ex tending on either side thereof and with the blade 32 against the tree as shown in Figure 1. The members I6, 48 and the backing blade 54 are then swung back into the position shown in solid outline in Figure 1 and Figure 2 so that the tree or log is positioned between the cutting blade 32 and the backing blade 54. The cutting edgesv 32a and 54a have a slight concave curvature to prevent side pressures on the object I| and to-A keep the object centralized within the frame.

Movement of the blade 32 within the frame of the device I9 is accomplished by a gear train housed in the gear chambers I9 and 20 and driving the screw 29, the mating sleeve 30 and the blade support 3 The gear train within chambers I9 and 20 comprises three shafts 55, 51 and 58 journaled in the chamber walls as shown. Shaft 56 is journaled in bearings 59V and 60 carried by the plates 2| and I8, respectively; shaft I51 is journaled iny bearings 6I and 62 carried by plate 2| and plate 63, respectively. Plate 63 is supported lin gearv housing 2|) between the plates I4 and'22, as shown in Figure 2. Theshaft 58 is journaled in bearings 64 and 65 carried by plates 2| and I1,.respec, tively. Shaft 58 is mounted in bearings 64 Vand 65 so as to be capable of limited axial movement towardpeither ofthe plates I1 or 2|. A pulley, V-belt sheave, or similar means 66 is secured to shaft 56 by a pin 61 for rotation with the shaft 56. A gear 68 is secured to shaft 56 within the: gearrchamber .Zurbyra pinta, .A gear 19,;1arger.-

end of. a cycle or by the blade 32 encountering an excessive resistance in the objectto be severed, suchlas a knot or other obstruction in the tree or log being severed, the clutch 80 .is 'kicked out of engagement with gearl'! vto prevent harm to the gear train and other apparatus. 4

The disengagement of the clutch SilV during the forward movement of the blade 32 is accomplished by axial movement of theshaft 58 within:its bearings against the spring 81 asfillustratedin Figure 5. When the forward motion of ther bladelis halted, further movement of the blade support .3I, the `sleeve 30 and the screw 29, is'also prevented.'A When` the screw 29 ceases to-frotate, the rotational movement of the shaft 21. and the `worm gearvr 89, which is pinnedy thereto,.i is also arrested. Stopping the movement of the-gear 89 will-,cause the worm 34 to unwind itself so.v as toV assume .aposition as shown in Figure 5. ,This movement of the worm 84 causes a vcorresponding movement in the shaft 58 which lsldably mounted in the bearings G4 and 65. Thewmovement of the worm 84 and the shaft 5B compresses the spring 87. L'Ihe. clutch 80 which iszpinned `to the shaft by pin 8! is also moved withV the shaft 58-'and is pulled out of engagement withthe inner lateral face'of gear Tl. The disengagement 'of the clutch 'rzand gear 'il releases shaft #58 from: its driven relation with shaft :56 tohalt `the rotation of shaftf and damage, to the geartrainby movement against excessive resistance is averted. Thel distance throughwhich the shaft `.58 may be moved axial- 1y'by-compressionof` the spring 87 is vless than theydistance 'through which vthe .clutch 50 must be moved to engagegear-a-IA to causev the movementof shaft-58 the'opposite direction. Thus the movementV of blade 32" is merely halted upon encountering .excessive resistance.k

The'movementiof the blade 32 in a rearwardv direction.;by;.the driving of shaft 58 through the, gearsgil,l "112,14 and clutch 8G is halted upon encountering excessive resistance Vby axial V movement 'of Vthe shaft 58 within its bearings 'against the spring 88.` The'clut'ch .8U is disengagedby thegmovement of the worm Blion worm gear 89 toward the wall I1 and the compression of the' spring 88 by.` movement. of shaft 58 in a manner similar to that above described.

lThe springs 87. and 88 are of suicient oompressivek strengththat the resistance normally encountered duringv the cutting operation will notl cause an `axial displacementv of shaft 58 and the disengagement of' clutch 80 from either of the gears 14 or 11. The actual compressive strengths of the springs will vary with the design ofthe cutting device and the nature of the objects to be severed. It should beunder` stood thatV the springs 81 and 88 are capable of compression only and that no unbalanced load is placed uponthe worm 84 by either of the opposing springs when the' device is employed to'sever an object presenting Va normal resistance to the movement of the blade. However, should a knot or otherVA obstruction in the object presentan excessive resistance against which the blade cannot be moved, the.` clutch is automatically adjusted to a neutral position by axial displacement of the driven shaft against one of the oomprese sionA springs. The clutch will also become disengaged to interrupt the driving relation between the :driving and driven shafts.l upon the completionv of a cycle of movement lof the cuttingA blade infeithena. forward or rearward direca clutch rotatable and axially shiftable with'said with the gear With which the samewas previously It will, of course, be understood that various details Yof* construction; may be varied through a wideY range withoutdeparting from vthe principles of this vinvention and itis, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scopelof the appended claims. i i

We claim as our invention: .e i

1. A tree felling orsimilar device comprising a framehavingxed parallel side members, a fixed endmember, a second end member-pivotally supported by'one of said side members and latching means for, securing said second end member to the other of said side members, a cutting blade carried by said pivotally supported secondend member.r a second-,cutting blade carried by said side frame members and guided thereby for movement within the frame, meanscarried by the side members andthe fixed end member of saidframe for driving said-second cutting blade including a shaft driven by a power source, a second shaft changeably geared Ito said first shaft for movement in the sameor opposite direction, means mounting said second shaft for limited axial movement, opposedcompression springs normally resisting movement'ofsaid second shaft ineither direction, a worm carried by sadfsecond shaft and rotatable therewith, a worm gearin mesh with said worm, a screw rotatable withsaid worm gear, a mating sleeve in driven engagement with said screw for effecting movement of said second cutting blade within the frame, and clutch means mounted on said second shaft for determining the direction-of rotation of said second shaft and the direction of movement of saidy member, a second end member pivotally 'sup-r ported by one of said side members, means for attaching said pivotally mounted end member to the other of said lside members, a-backing blade carried by said pivotally supported end member, a cutting blade movable within the framefand' guidedby said side members, and means for driving said movable cutting blade comprising a power Vtransmitting screw for movingsaid mov able blade in either direction, a worm gear ffor' driving said screw, a driven shaft mounted for` axially shiftable movement' ai worm vxedly mounted on said shaft in meshfwith said-worm"l gear, opposed'compression springs on vsaid;` shaft at opposite ends ofl said worm, La 'drivingshaft,4r

gears on saidvdriving shaft, gears freely rotatable on-Y said driven shaft' engageable directly and through-a reversing gearwith said rst gears, and

driven shaft vfor driving engagement with ,either of said gears on said driven shaft, the compressive strength of said springs being such` that when y there is'excessive resistance to movement of said:` movableblade in either direction saidworm gear will ltend to stop,- 4said worm will vunscrew it` self -compressing one pf saidsprings andcausing suiii'cient axial movement oi' said driven .shaft to disengage` said clutch from driving relation engaged,l j

3.1 ,InY 1aV power 'driven cutting devi-cev including a frame for surrounding 'anjobject to be cut, a.. bQkinsi. blade;v and lan opposed movable blade,

means for driving said movable blade comprising a power transmitting screw for moving said movableblade in either direction, a worm gear for driving said screw, ya driven shaft mounted for axially shiftable movement, a worm iixediy mounted on said shaft for axial and rotational movement therewith and meshing with said worm gear, opposed compression springs on said shaft contacting opposite ends of said worm, a driving shaft, gears on said driving shaft, gears freely rotatable `on said driven shaft meshing directly and through a reversing gear with said first gears, and a clutch rotatable with said shaft and axially shiftable thereon to driving engagement with either of said gears and to a neutral non-driving position on said driven shaft, the compressive strength of said springs being such that when there is excessive resistance to movement of said movable blade in either direction said worm gear will tend to stop, said worm will unscrew itself on said worm gear compressing one of said springs and causing sufcient axial movement of said driven shaft afxed to said worm to disengage said clutch thereon from driving relationship with the gear with which the same f was previously engaged.

4. A tree felling or similar device comprising a frame having fixed parallel side members, means v4secured to said side members adjacent one end thereof to define an enclosed gear box, a worm gear therein, an end member pivotally secured to the other end of one of said side members, latching means for securing said second end member to the other of said side members, a rst cutting blade carried by said pivotally mounted end member, a second cutting blade carried by said side members and guided thereby for movement within said frame towards and away from said first cutting blade, means housed within said gear box and lying between said side members for driving said second cutting blade including a shaft journaled in said gear box and adapted to be driven by a power source, a second shaft having limited axial movement journaled in said gear box and geared to said first shaft for movement in the same or opposite rotational direction, a worm xedly carried by said second shaft for rotation and axial movement therewith, said Worm gear being in mesh with said Worm, a screw rotatable with said worm gear, a mating sleeve in driven engagement with said screw for effecting movement of said second cutting blade within the frame, clutch means mounted on said second shaft and enclosed within. said gear box for determining the direction of rotation of said second shaft and said worm and thereby the direction of movement of said second cutting blade within said frame, compression springs opposing axial movement of said second shaft in either direction whereby when said second cutting blade meets excessive resistance to movement and said worm gear tends to stop, said worm `unscrews itself to compress one of said springs Aand thereby cause sufficient axial movement of said driven shaft to disengage said clutch from driving relationship with said driven shaft, and manually operable clutch actuating means extending externally of said ge-ar box.

5. A tree felling device or the like comprising a frame having fixed parallel side members, a fixed gear box adjacent one end of the frame, a pair of cooperative cutting blades movable relative to one another along the length of said parallel side members for confining an article to be cut therebetween, and means for actuating one of said blades towards and away from the other blade including a driving shaft adapted to be coupled to a source of power and journaled within said gear box, a driven shaft extending across said gear box for rotational and axial movement therein, a worm carried by said driven shaft for both rotational and axial movement therewith, resilient means guided by said shaft and urging said shaft to an intermediate axially adjusted position, a worm gear in mesh with said worm and operatively connected to said one movable blade for effecting movement thereof, and av clutch for coupling said driving shaft and said driven shaft to rotate said driven shaft in a predetermined direction, said clutch being axially movable with said driven shaft after limited initial axial movement of said shaft in either direction, whereby continued rotation of said worm relative to said worm gear when the latter is held against rotationv by resistance to movement of said movable blade causes axial movement o-f said driven shaft and of said clutch to throw said clutch out of coupling relationship with said shafts and thereby prevent damage to said driving means.

ROBERT P. INGRAHAM. JOSEPH W. PHILLIPS. SAM E. GANIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date Austria r Aug. 25, 1906 

